A traveler near a departures board at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey, United States, Monday, November 24, 2025.
Victor J. Bleu | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Airlines are allowing travelers to change their trips ahead of a major winter storm that will test carriers during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
A winter storm warning is in effect starting this afternoon in New York, New Jersey and Long Island, with snowfall of up to 9 inches, most falling overnight, the National Weather Service said.
American airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways and other carriers have waived change fees for restrictive basic economy tickets and said they will not charge a fare difference to customers traveling to and from several area airports, including Philadelphia International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
Customers must travel by the end of the year if they change flights, the airlines said. Flying as early as possible is probably the best solution, as few seats are available during the busy Christmas week.
Airlines for America, the industry lobbying group, expects carriers to carry a record 52.6 million people between Dec. 19 and Jan. 5, with Friday and Sunday among the busiest days.